BLAYDON are to consider asking Potteries club Longton to take disciplinary action against the player responsible for a nasty eye injury to lock James Houghton.

He had 21 stitches in the wound and four others elsewhere in his face after being attacked with 15 minutes to go in the National Three North match.

Blaydon, who are second after maintaining their unbeaten record with a 27-20 win, felt that the bottom club, promoted last season from Midlands One, were guilty of several cheap shots.

Although the home No 8 was yellow-carded after the next incident, there was no action following Houghton's injury.

Blaydon led 18-8 just before half-time, but Longton scored a converted try and crossed again straight after the break.

In wet conditions on a tight ground, Blaydon then opted to grind their hosts down through forward pressure and fly half David Dalrymple completed another immaculate kicking display with three penalties.

He also landed two in the first half and converted one of the two tries scored by prop George Donoghue and No 8 Peti Keni.

Playing his first full game of the season, Donoghue took an inside pass from Dalrymple to run 20 metres to the line, while Keni got on the end of a passing move.

Also playing in wet and windy conditions, Darlington Mowden Park lost 17-12 at New Brighton, with the decisive try coming just before Richard Arnold returned to the field.

A regular visitor to the sin-bin during his lengthy Newcastle career, for the second time in three Mowden games he was harshly yellow carded for a high tackle.

It happened with Mowden leading 12-10 after 50 minutes and they were disappointed to lose a game they dominated for long spells.

Luke Monument, drafted in because of injuries, did well at the line-out for Mowden in the first half and the backs handled well into the wind.

They opted for kick and chase downwind, but as the rain grew heavier the game became very scrappy and they rarely threatened to score. Both sides scored two tries through their backs, with only Mowden's first not coming from a line-out.

Mowden dominated the first 15 minutes, but New Brighton went ahead when they kicked downfield, won a line-out and a centre burst through to score.

Mowden came back with a strong forward drive led by Arnold and the ball was spun out for winger Andy Foreman to dart over.

With the Mowden backs off-side, New Brighton landed a penalty just before half-time to lead 10-5, but Mowden got just the start they wanted after the break and went ahead after three minutes.

They kicked a penalty to the corner, won the line-out and the ball was moved across the line before winger Chris Mattison slipped it inside for Mark Bedworth to score. He added the conversion, but the hosts scored from the same tactic to seal victory.

In North Two East, West Hartlepool drew 11-11 at home to Middlesbrough, for whom lock John Dixon played for 80 minutes against his former club before rushing off to work a night shift.

For the second successive week Ian Bircham started at full back for Boro after being named on the bench and he played a key role.

He landed two penalties and with ten minutes to go was switched to fly half, with Ross McNeill moving out to the wing. Five minutes later the ball was moved smartly along the line for the first time and McNeill scored the try which levelled the scores.

West's lighter pack was the more mobile, with flanker Henry Tones outstanding, while Phillip Wallis made a promising debut at fly half. Carl Robinson scored the try which gave them an early lead, but in the end a draw was a fair result in a modest match.

There was plenty of excitement at Horden, who led 19-0 at half-time against Redcar after playing downwind but had to hang on for a 22-19 victory.

Referee Steve Havery sent off Redcar lock Neil Young just before half-time for dangerous use of the feet, but with hooker Martyn Challenor to the fore the visitors raised their game.

Player-coach Jamie Connolly scored one of their tries as they reduced the gap to 22-12 before Andrew Turner landed his fifth penalty for Horden.

While flanker Andrew Temple was again outstanding, Turner dictated from fly half and also converted a try by scrum half Andrew Evans. Redcar scored their third try in the 80th minute.

Stockton slipped to the bottom after losing 19-12 at home to unbeaten Morpeth, who clinched victory with a converted try in the third minute of injury time.

Stockton showed improved discipline in their best display of the season and went ahead after 25 minutes when Graham Kell broke through three tackles from 22 metres out to score under the posts.

Nicky Walters converted, but in the space of five minutes Morpeth kicked two penalties and a drop goal to lead 9-7.

Right on half-time the Stockton forwards drove over from a line-out and hooker Glyn Delmar got the touchdown.

Morpeth's third penalty levelled the score with 20 minutes left and they missed three penalties before the fly half kicked to the corner for the full back to score.

Northallerton lost their 100 per cent record in Yorkshire Three when they lost 3-0 at York RI.